The discovery of yet another spray-painted swastika in downtown Geneva raises deeply troubling questions about whether the Geneva Police Department launched a serious investigation after a swastika and “white power” graffiti were discovered on June 6th.

Local news outlets are reporting that yet another spray-painted swastika has been found downtown, this time at the Geneva Armory, just a few feet away from Mt Calvary Church, where racist graffiti was discovered last week. Police are saying the graffiti has been on the building for more than a month.

Swastika, north outer wall of Geneva Armory

What Kind Of Investigation Has Been Done Since June?

The latest discovery of racist graffiti in Geneva’s downtown brings into question whether or not the Geneva Police began any sort of investigation after the discovery of the first hate crime graffiti on June 6th.

Unbelievably, a Finger Lakes Daily News article stated that “residents and business owners are asked to check their outdoor cameras to see if they spot any recent suspicious activity.

If GPD had launched an investigation in June, it would be assumed that they would have:

Requested and reviewed surveillance video from residents and businesses

Checked nearby buildings for any additional racist graffiti while canvassing the neighborhood for tips from the public.

Now, almost seven weeks later, and only after the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force was assigned by the Governor to assist in the investigation, the Geneva Police have decided to ask the public for surveillance footage from the neighborhood for the first time, and police were notified of a third incident of racist graffiti, in plain sight, on the outside of a building in the immediate neighborhood of the first two racist graffiti incidents.

Today, the GPD looks like they never seriously conducted an investigation in the first place.

Police Accountability=Citizen Oversight

The Geneva Police Department’s handling of the racist graffiti incident in June was absolutely unacceptable.

Chief Passalacqua called the incidents “disgusting.”

But he apparently those horrific symbols of white supremacy and hatred back weren’t disgusting enough to prompt the GPD to go to the press, ask the public for help, and immediately undertake a thorough and aggressive investigation.

Meanwhile, the Community Compact has, no surprisingly, done nothing and said nothing publicly about the incidents, because the Community Compact exists to provide positive public relations opportunities for the Geneva Police.

The Compact remains silent, three days after the story hit the news.

And that tells us all we need to know about the Community Compact.

We have a police problem. They won’t police themselves, they won’t hold themselves accountable, so it’s time for the community to step in and hold OUR police department accountable.